Recovering metal



Nov. 2 1926.

J. O. BETTERTON RECOVERING METALV Original Filed June 28. 1923 255,0 n.21 n@ .kullQQ 295. Ehi

UN Qukmoum V Patented Nov. 2, 1926.

UNITED STATES TENT JESSE OATMAN BETTERTON, F OMAHA, NEBRASKA, `SSICzflhTOR TO AMERICAN SMELT- ING AND REFINING'COIYIPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF'NEW JERSEY.

Application led June 28, 1923, Serial No, 648,135. Renewed March 26, 1926.

4 ciency. Another object is to produce calcines containing valuable metals. Another object is to recover metallic chlorides in such manner as 'to reduce the losses to a minimum and thus provide a process that is cyclic in operation.

Various other objects and advantages ot the invention will be in part obvious from an inspection .of the accompanying drawings and in part will be more fully set forth in the following particular description oi' one method otnpracticing my invention, and the invention also consists in certain new and novel features hereinafter set forth and claimed.

ln the accompanying drawings, there is shown a iow sheet of the several steps of the process, the parts ot a refinery beii'igv shown symbolically.

The blue powder produced in well-known processes of lead refining is taken trom the lead refinery 10, and passed through a sui-tf able screen 11. The oversize screenings re- 'ected by the screen il are returned to the intake of the lead'retinery l0 over dow path 12,- ior re-treatment. Y

A suitable melting kettle 20, of wellknown construction, is provided and there is placed therein a fluxv ot zinc chloride. 'lhe initial charge of zinc chloride (see flow path 2l) is sutlicient in quantity to initiate the operation, and thereafter there is added only' such quantities las will compensate for mechanical handling losses. Heat is now applied to the kettle-20 of such degree and for a suficient length of ti me to expel all water. 'lhe last ot the water will not come ed until fusion has taken place and volatilizationof the salt has commenced. 'lhe blue powder "tromthe refinery 10 is next added to the kettle 20, and stirred in thoroughly with the fused Izinc chloride. VThe kettle 20 is provided with a closely fitted hood 22 communieating with a suction fan 23 through-a connecting passage 24, the outlet of the tan lea'ding to a bag house 25, and durin this operation it is necessary to keep the an 23 running in order to prevent excessive loss ot the volatilized zinc chloride. The zinc chloride carried olii' duringthis Step olf the process may be readily recovered from the bags of the bag house 25.

'llhe molten zinc chloride in the kettle 2O serves to dissolve the zinc oxide coatings.

from the particles ot blue powder and thus allows the metallic zinc to coalesce. 'A bath ot' molten zinc is thereupon :termed underneath the fused slag. l have found that it is usually, though not always, necessary to increase the temperature considerably to cause this action to be reasonably rapid. its the zinc chloride absorbs zinc oxide trom the blue powder it tends to become less fluid in nature until when fully saturated it is fairly solid. llt may then be removed jtroni the mass ot' molten zinc by skimming. Thus the metallic zinc content of the blue powder is elliciently removed, and the oxidized zinc content thereoiE is' absorbed into the slag.

The zinc recovered at this step of the process has been :t'ound to contain lead, copper and nearly all the gold and silver content ot the original blue powder received trom the refinery. |lhis metal can be utilized tor the purpose ot replacing zinc in the so-called Parkes process of desilveration of lead bullion.

'lhe slag contains, in addition to zinc, g5 some lead and. copper, and a trace of gold and silver, as well as some tire clay trom the zinc retining retorts ot the refinery, necessarily present in the blue powder.

rlChe slag is next charged into a intime, en roasting or calcining furnace, shown symbolically at 30, comprising rabbles 3l and means 32 tor applying a red heat. llhe furnace 30 is connected by a. suction tan 33 to a settlement Hue 34 and a bag house. 35, es ot well-known construction. The slag is heated and rabbl'ed at a red heat. During this operation the metallic chlorides, mainly of course, zinc chlorides, are volatilized and recovered in the flues and bags of the ico. settlement iiue structure 34 and bag house 35, respectively. The recovered chlorides are then supplied to the melting kettle 20 as previously described, and thus are used over again and again. its

rllhe calcines remaining consist et an impure zinc oxide, containing lead, copper and a trace of gold and silver. It is a valuable zinc product duction. y

Thus it will be seen that ll have provided an improved treatment for the blue powder residue of lead refining, whereby the zinc chloride used in the treatment is recovered, and in addition useful and valuable products are extracted from the material being treated. 4

rlhe process herein described has the additional advantages that the calcincs produced are a commercial product which may be disposed of to spelter producers, andthe loss ot valuable material is reduced to a miniinu1n l/l-lhile li have shown and described and have pointed out in the anner-:ed claims cer tain novel features of my invention, it will he understoodthat various omissions, substitutions and changes in the several steps of my process and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention.

l-laving thus described my invention, l claim:

l, ln the art of metallurgy, the process for the recovery'of 'zinc compounds from the blue powder residuel' lead refining, which includes the step of adding said residue to fused zinc chloride, maintaining the mass at a temperature to dissolve they zinc ozfzide from said residue, and causing' the particles of metallic zinc to coalesce and separate 'from the mass.

2. ln the art of metallurgy, the process for the. recovery of zinc compounds' from the blue powder residue of lead refining, which includes the step ol adding 'the blue powder to fused zinc chloride and forming .a slag, heating the mixture to a relatively high temperature, collecting the volatilized substances from the heated mint-ure, and separating' the Zinc chloride from said substances.

and has utility in spelter prothe art of metallurgy, process ij'or recovery of zinc compounds from the blue powder residue of reiining, which includes the step of heating zinc chloride, to fusion, adding said residue to the fused :cinc chloride, subjecting the mixture while heated to negative pressure to draw volatilised products, dausing the metallic aine to settle out, so as to foi-in a slag, `heating the slag to collect the *midlined products therefrom, and precipitating the zinc chloride from said products.

d. the art of metallurgy `the process for the recovery of zinc compounds troni the blue powder residue of rei'ining,

to increased heat to form a slag, removing the slag and heating the same at red heat,

collecting the volatilized products therefrom and recovering the zinc chloride.

5. ln the art ot metallurgy the process -for the recovery of zinc compounds from the blue powder residue of lead refining, which includes the step or" heating the zinc chloride to fusion, adding the blue `powder to the zinc chloride, agitating the mixture while heated, subjecting the zinc chloride while heated to a negative pressure to draw ott' volatilized matter, applied to forni a slag, separating1 the slag from, the remainder of the material heating the slag at red heat, collecting the volatilized products therefrom.

5. ln the art of metallurgy the process for the recovery of Zinc compounds from the blue powder residue of lead reining, which includes the step of heating the Zinc chloride to fusion, adding the blue powder to the fused Zinc chloride, agitating the mixture while heated, subjecting the minture while heated to negative pressure to draw off the volatilized zinc chloride, increasing the heat applied to torni a slag, heating and rabbling the slag at red heat, collecting the volatilized products there from and recovering thezinc chloriffe troni said volatilized products.

7. ln theart of metallurgy tor the recovery or zinc compounds from the blue powder residue of lead which includes the step ot heating chloride to fusion, adding the blu" to the blue zinc chloride, agitatii ie mixture while heated, subjecting the Zinc chloride while heated to a negative pressure to draw olaf volatilized matter, increasing the heat applied to 'form a slag, heating thc slag at red heat, collecting the volatilizced products therefrom, and recovering the zinc chloride from said volatilized pi `ducts.

the process 8. ln the art of metallurgy t e process for-the recovery of smc compounds from the blue powder residue, or lead refining,

which consists in mining the blue powder with an excess ol luscd zinc chloride thereby to dissolve the zinc oxide coating ci" the blue powder, and causing the particles oi metallic zinc to coalesce'.

Signed at rnaha las and State ot lilebraslia this day of dune A. ll". 19u37.

increasing the heat the county ol Doug 

